Arizona Forward’s 48th Annual Luncheon on Dec. 8 sparked an important conversation that delved straight into the purpose of corporate social responsibility. While looking through the lens of sustainable practices, four guest speakers demonstrated how being green also means being more profitable.

Suzanne Shelton, founder of the sustainability-focused marketing company Shelton Group, led a discussion featuring:

Todd Brady – Director, Global Public Affairs & Sustainability at Intel Corporation. Todd has published more than 20 papers on scientific topics.

Alicia Marseille ­– Director, RISN Incubator at ASU. Alicia is finding ways to recycle and reuse waste to keep it out of landfills.

Michaella Wittmann – Director, Sustainability at HDR. Michaella founded HDR’s sustainability program and was among the first people in the U.S. to receive LEEP AP credentials.

Thanks to more than 250 guests, we had a lively, insightful event. We took care of some internal business before launching our keynote discussion. For those who didn’t make it, here are some of the key takeaways:

We are in the middle of a global shift in thinking. Just as littering is no longer socially acceptable, we’re heading the same direction with sustainability. Green practices – from renewable energy to reclaiming water – are becoming the norm.

Even more importantly, customers are voting with their wallet to favor companies that are solving environmental problems. According to Shelton Group polls, 66 percent of global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable brands.

It’s great for companies to implement green policies. But improving the bottom line also requires a concerted effort to tell that story to the public. If they don’t know about the actions you’re taking, you can’t influence their choices. Unilever, a brand well-known for its sustainability efforts, has this recent example of putting its story into its products.

Simplify the way you’re communicating to the public, and tell the story in a way that evokes emotion. Here’s some key advice Suzanne offered as an example: Instead of saying that you work in the circular economy, tell people you are working to eliminate landfills.

Michaella said that encouraging HDR take its first steps into sustainability involved answering a simple question: What’s the benefit to customers and employees? Today, she considers HDR’s sustainability program one of the keys to recruit top talent.

The Q & A portion of the event raised a provocative question: Why don’t we just consume less? That would be an ideal, of course, and panelists said that would be the best outcome. It’s also the hardest behavior to change. Imagine a growing family trying to “buy less stuff.” Asking them to choose recycled products from a company that uses renewable energy? That’s much easier to sell.

Suzanne wrapped up with an important question: What’s the ROI for destroying the planet?

If you attended, what resonated with you?

Interested in driving initiatives that will impact quality of life for Arizona far into the future? Find out how you can join us in leaving a positive environmental legacy!

Some of Arizona's best minds have, for quite awhile, been dealing with the problem of ensuring that a fast-growing, arid region has the water it needs to thrive. That's also true in Israel, andDr. Clive Lipchinis one of the leading voices in the issue. Dr. Lipchin recently spoke at a breakfast program presented by Arizona Forward in partnership with the Jewish National Fund (JNF). His presentation outlined an amazing success story that transformed Israel from a nation facing a water shortage to a nation with first-rate infrastructure and policies to meet growing needs

As director of the Center for Transboundary Water Management at the Arava Institute, Dr. Lipchin (pictured below) has worked with water professionals and policy makers across the globe from the Institute’s campus in the Arava of the Negev Desert. He regularly interfaces with students and academics in Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan to address regional water issues. Like Arizona, Israel is confronted by: an arid climate; political, philosophical and economic boundaries; and off-grid communities.

Here are a few key points from his presentation:

Water law and policy in Israel focuses on water as a public good rather than an individual property right. In the 1950s, the Israel Water Law annulled privately held water rights. This creates a regulatory climate far different from the United States.

Like all environmental issues, water is a shared concern that affects every person, regardless of nationality, religion or any other demographic. That makes it a great starting point for collaboration. "Water is simply too important to fight over," Dr. Lipchin said.

Israel views drought as its norm and rain as an anomaly. That outlook is the cornerstone of the nation's approach to managing water.

By carrying water from the Sea of Galilee (the only source of surface water in Israel) to the southern parts of the country, Israel ensured an adequate source of water for its drinking and agricultural needs. This came at a cost, though, as water levels in the Sea of Galilee began to drop.

Israel's solution to addressing the Sea of Galilee is based on three legs: desalination, use of reclaimed water and pricing. Today, nearly 80 percent of Israel's potable water comes from desalination. It also re-uses nearly 90 percent of its wastewater. And pricing is based not on water quantity, but on water quality; this created an incentive for the agriculture sector to embrace reclaimed water.

While the use of desalination allows natural water systems to recover, it presents challenges of its own. It's energy intensive, and uses nearly 10 percent of the power generated nationwide. Also, it creates brine that requires disposal.

In the West Bank and other remote areas, entire communities are not connected to Israel's water grid. Their water storage methods don't ensure a consistent supply. One of the solutions isbuilding on-site treatmentfor villages – the solutions being employed can work everywhere from remote Arizona communities to refugee camps in Jordan.

Water also offers a chance to collaborate among groups who are often in conflict on other issues. Dr. Lipchin sees water as a way to create more trust between Israelis and Palestinians: "Through water, you can build collaboration," he said.

The issue of private water rights and multiple authorities at all level of government presents a different set of challenges for the United States. But there's reason to be optimistic considering Israel's success through technology and focusing on the common good in the long term. Which of these key points do you see applying to our challenges in Arizona?

11 Aug 2017 12:59 PM |
Anonymous

Author: Jon Ford, Vitalyst Health Foundation

Welcome to Arizona Forward’s relaunched website. It's a new look for us. As anyone who has ever designed or redesigned a website knows, it is also an organizational opportunity to be as clear as possible about our work.

We designed the site to be a more welcoming resource for what we're up to, and for understanding our "why." Simon Sinek, creator of one of the most popular TED Talks of all time and author of the bestseller “Start With Why,” has consulted with organizations around the world. His message? An organization's "why" serves as a much more long-term strategic fuel and focus than any "what" possibly could.

Our purpose and our value must be clear. How else would you know whether you'd like to be part of Arizona Forward, when you should call us to the table for a new dialogue, or how we can help you succeed?

So why does Arizona Forward exist? Purely for this reason: to leverage our collective power.

Leverage that power to what end? To influence how we best do three things:

1. Grow our communities,

2. Stimulate our economy, and

3. Enhance our environment

The trick, and the power of Arizona Forward, lies in balancing these three areas. Focusing solely on enhanced environment can be viewed as detrimental to economic growth for example. But at Arizona Forward, we don't believe in "either-or" solutions. We believe that our collective knowledge and innovation capacity can produce "both-and" potential.